Automatic feeding of fasteners

ABSTRACT

A feeding clip having relief portions enabling the clip to be gripped and moved forward in response to an actuating device of the fastening tool, and further including indexing means for registering a fastener held in the clip with the driving ram of the fastening tool. The indexing means operates as the tool is cocked in readiness for firing. The clip is advanced forward to move a fastener into position. Upon firing, a driving ram in the tool drives the fastener through the clip and into the work surface. Release of the tool followed by further cocking in readiness for a second firing advances the clip through the tool to align the next successive fastener with the driving ram.

United States Patent Pomeroy 1 June 20, 1972 541 AUTOMATIC FEEDING 0F FASTENERS 3,331,546 7/1967 Brunelle ..227/10 3,506,178 4/1970 Brunelle ..227/10 [72] hymn! Pmland' Ores 3,563,439 2/1971 Pomeroy ..227/10 x [73] Assignee: Omark Industries, Inc., Portland, Oreg.

. Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer .Ir.

1 7 [22] Fl ed M l9 0 Attomey-Robert L. Harrington [2]] Appl. No.: 80,915

[ ABSTRACT U-S. 18, A feeding having relief enabling the clip to be [5 i II!!- Cl. 1/ l4 and moved forward in response to an actuating device [58] Field of Search ..227/9, 10, 1 I7, I 18, 136, 137, f the f t i too], and f h including indexing means f 227/138 registering a fastener held in the clip with the driving ram of the fastening tool. The indexing means operates as the tool is [56] Rdmnm Cited cocked in readiness for firing. The clip is advanced forward to UNITED STATES PATENTS move afastener into position. Upon firing, a driving ram in the tool drives the fastener through the 011p and into the work sur- 6l8,6 5 1 899 Lee face. Release of the tool followed by further cocking in readilr539r473 5/ 1925 ness for a second firing advances the clip through the tool to 1,554,128 9/1925 Robertson align the next successive fastener with the driving ram. 3,363,817 1/1968 Brack 3,575,332 4/1971 3Clalms,7Drawing Figures Brunelle ..227/ l 0 PATENTEBJUHO 1972 SHEET 2 BF 2 uwz-wra: fir/r2000 [Pa/M5901? AUTOMATIC FEEDING OF FASTENERS HISTORY ofthe barrel.

Powder actuated tools have numerous safety requirements. These requirements include for example loading of the power load for driving the piston such that it is entirely enclosed inside the tool, andalso requires a two step action for firing the tool. A commonly used firing pin mechanism ignites the power load but only after the firing pin is cocked by forcing the nose of the tool against the work surface. A powder actuated tool must accomplish the automatic loading while maintaining the required two step firing, preferably in the manner described above.

The present invention is believed to provide automatic feeding which also meets the safety requirements and is additionally inexpensive to produce and easily operated. Furthermore, the automatic loading is easily adapted to present driving tools. Very briefly the automatic loader is a nose piece which accepts a feeding clip filled with fasteners. The clip is advanced through the nose piece by the action of cocking the firing pin. Means are provided to align the fasteners with the driving ram and also to lock the cocking action when the last fastener of the cartridge is driven through the barrel.

The invention will be more clearly understood by referring to the following detailed description and drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a sectioned view of a powder actuated tool employing a fastener feeding device in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view with portions sectioned and removed to illustrate the operation of the fastener feeding device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section view taken on lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates the fastener containing clip used in the fastener feeding device;

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate mechanisms of the fastener feeding devices in the two extreme positions of before and after advancing the clip to the next successive fastener;

FIG. 7 illustrates the operation of ejecting an emptied clip.

Referring to FIG. 1 a powderactuated tool 10 includes a barrel I2 slidably mounted in a tool housing 13 and a driving ram 14 slidable within the barrel. A breach plug 16 receives a power load 18. A firing pin 20 carried by a carrier 22 is prevented from contacting the power load 18 because of sear 24. As the barrel 12 is moved rearwardly into the housing (e.g., by forcing the end of the barrel against a work surface), the firing pin is moved with it and compresses spring 26. The trigger 28 is engaged to release the sear 24 and spring 26 propels the firing pin toward the power load.

The fastener feeding mechanism 30 forms an extension 31 on the front of the barrel l2 and is locked to the barrel by means of lock screw 32. The fastener holding clip 34 that is fed through the feeding mechanism 30 is best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. As shown the fastener clip has a row of circular openings 36 adapted to contain fasteners 38. One side of the clip is formed with wave-like valleys 40 while the other side is formed with ridges 42. A slot 44 through the barrel extension 3! permits passage of the clip whereby openings 36 can be aligned with the barrel 12.

The mechanism for advancing the clip automatically through the slot 44 is illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 5 and 6. A plunger 46 is slidably mounted in the casing 48. A triangular shaped lever 50 is pivotally mounted within the casing. A spring 52 urges the lever 50 to the position shown in FIG. 2 and 5 with plunger 46 urged to its fully retracted position. A gripping stem 54 is carried by the lever 50. The gripping stem is mounted to the lever 50 by a pin 56 fixed to the lever which rides in slot 58 in the stem to permit limited lateral sliding movement through a slot 51 in a mounting plate 53. A spring 60 urges the stem into its extended position and into engagement with ridges 42 in the clip 34. The mechanism described in confined in the housing by a cover plate 62 fixed to the housing by screws 64. It will thus be seen that forcing the plunger 46 into the casing 48 as shown in FIG. 6 causes pivoting of lever 50. The stem is thus pivoted upwardly as viewed in the figures and because of its engagement with a ridge 42 of the clip, urges the clip upwardly. The ridges have square upper edge surfaces 42a and slanted lower edges 42b thus providing firm gripping of the stem when moved upwardly but providing a camming action when the stem and lever move downwardly causing the stem to be retracted against the bias of spring 60.

Referring to FIG. 3, a centering post 66 is slidably mounted in the casing. The centering post extends through the casing and a knob 68 is provided on the end to allow manual retraction. A centering head 70 on the opposite end of the post is urged toward the clip 34 by spring 72. The centering post is in registry with the valleys 40 on the clip so that when bottomed, the openings 36 are aligned with the barrel 12. The valleys being tapered and the end of the centering head being matched thereto, an urging of the clip lengthwise will bias the post against spring 72 and as the peak of the valley is passed, the post is urged into the center of the next successive valley to align the next opening 36 with the barrel. The process is repeated until the last valley 40a is reached. This valley is substantially deeper than the preceeding valley 40 and when the post is seated therein, the clip 34 is locked against further movement. The knob 68 can be manually moved to retract the post and unlock the clip 34, or as seen in FIG. 7 another clip can be introduced into the feeding mechanism. The wedge 74 formed on the leading edge of the clip is pushed into the relief 76 at the rear end of the clip and wedges against the centering post to move it out of the valley 40a. The clip is then merely advanced manually through the feeding mechanism until the first valley 40 of the new clip is engaged by the centering post.

OPERATION The specific feeding mechanism described is adapted to operate on a powder actuated tool wherein a cocking action takes place by forcing the barrel end into the tool housing. Thus an operator places the barrel end against a work surface and pushes on the handle to force the tool housing down over the barrel. The plunger 46 being limited in its rearward movement relative to the housing by engagement with shoulder 78, is thus forced into the casing 48 of the feeding mechanism.

As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the plunger forces pivoting of lever 50 with stem 54 moved upwardly in slot 51. The stem engages a ridge 42 of a clip 34 and forces it upwardly against the holding force of centering post 66. This upward movement moves the centeringpost to the next successive valley which aligns the next opening 36 holding a fastener 38 with the driving ram 14 of the tool. The trigger 28 is pulled to release the firing pin to fire the power load 18 which drives the driving ram against the fastener. The operator then releases the force against the handle of the tool, allowing the barrel end to move out of the housing and retraction of the plunger 46 from the casing 48. The clip is held from returning movement by the centering post. Return movement of the stem without moving the clip is permitted by the camming action of the slanted edge 42!: forcing retraction of the stem against the spring 60.

The process is repeated until the last of the fasteners contained on the clip are driven. The clip is then locked with the centering post 66 seated deeply in valley 40a thereby preventing any further movement of the clip. With the clip prevented from movement the lever 50 cannot be pivoted and plunger 46 cannot be moved into the casing. It follows that the barrel cannot be moved into the tool housing and the firing pin cannot be locked, thus preventing further firing. This locked position thus prevents accidental firing until the knob 68 is manually retracted or until a new clip is placed in the feeding mechanism as described.

Variations of the feeding mechanism described above will be obvious to those skilled in the art while still employing the basic concepts of the invention. Therefore it is to be understood that the above embodiment illustrates one form only of the invention and is not intended to establish the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic self-contained fastener feeding mechanism adapted to be releasably locked to an explosively actuated fastener driving too] comprising: a barrel portion having a transverse opening therethrough, a casing supported by the barrel portion, a reciprocal advancing means carried by the casing for gripping and advancing a fastening holding clip a predetermined distance through the barrel opening, registering means carried by the casing to resist return movement of the clip and to align a fastener carried by the clip with the barrel, and releasable locking means to lock the feeding mechanism to the exit end of the barrel of the tool.

2. A feeding mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the exit end of the barrel of the tool is moveable relative to the breach end portion of the tool for cocking the tool's firing pin, said feeding mechanism including actuating means responsive to the relative movement for actuating the reciprocal advancing means.

3. A feeding mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein said reciprocal advancing means includes a lever pivotally mounted in the casing, biasing means biasing the lever into one extreme pivotal position, and a stem carried by the lever adapted to engage a fastener holding clip provided in the opening of the barrel portion to advance the clip as the lever is pivoted, and said actuating means including a plunger that engages the lever to pivot the lever against the biasing means to a second extreme pivotal movement for advancing the fastener holding clip. 

1. An automatic self-contained fastener feeding mechanism adapted to be releasably locked to an explosively actuated fastener driving tool comprising: a barrel portion having a transverse opening therethrough, a casing supported by the barrel portion, a reciprocal advancing means carried by the casing for gripping and advancing a fastening holding clip a predetermined distance through the barrel opening, registering means carried by the casing to resist return movement of the clip and to align a fastener carried by the clip with the barrel, and releasable locking means to lock the feeding mechanism to the exit end of the barrel of the tool.
 2. A feeding mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the exit end of the barrel of the tool is moveable relative to the breach end portion of the tool for cocking the tool''s firing pin, said feeding mechanism including actuating means responsive to the relative movement for actuating the reciprocal advancing means.
 3. A feeding mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein said reciprocal advancing means includes a lever pivotally mounted in the casing, biasing means biasing the lever into one extreme pivotal position, and a stem carried by the lever adapted to engage a fastener holding clip provided in the opening of the barrel portion to advance the clip as the lever is pivoted, and said actuating means including a plunger that engages the lever to pivot the lever against the biasing means to a second extreme pivotal movement for advancing the fastener holding clip. 